Charles Hulbert Madden
Charles Hulbert Madden | |
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| Born | June 27, 1878 Armitage Bridge, Yorkshire |
| Died | February 16, 1952 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | English |
| Citizenship | England |
| Occupation | Military Officer |
| Spouse(s) | Annie Collier |
| Children | Charles Augustus Hulbert |
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Colonel Charles Hulbert Madden OBE MC (27 May 1878 - 16 February 1952) was an English Military Officer.
Early Life
Charles Hulbert Madden was born in Armitage Bridge, Yorkshire, in 1878. He was the second son of George Charles Brownlow Madden, and his wife Margaret Emily Hulbert; the youngest daughter of clergyman, Charles Augustus Hulbert.
Charles married Annie Collier in September of 1899. He later moved to London as an Insurance Broker.
In 1914, around the outbreak of WWI, Madden's Broker Firm went bust, resulting in him losing everything, including his home.
WWI
At the outbreak of the First World War, Charles was 36 years old. At age 39, in 1917, he volunteered to join the Somerset Light Infantry. Charles had received a commission through his uncle, William Madden, who had been the Colonel of the Regiment[1]. He went to France in the July of 1917, and in March of 1918 he was made Acting Captain of ‘A’ Company supporting the Canadians. On August 21st, 1918, during the Second Battle of the Somme Germany began with attacks on Albert. The Commanding Officer and one other officer were killed, six others were wounded and out of action. Charles continued the attack on the village of Achiet-le-Petit, east of Bucquoy, forcing three machine gun positions to retire, and allowing the advance to continue. He thus received the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
Two months later, in October of 1918, ‘A’ Company (Charles’ command) was the advance guard attacking the ridge in Havrincourt Wood, during The Second Battle of Cambrai. Between the 9th and 12th of October, when his company formed the advance guard to the battalion and the enemy’s resistance was stiffening, he established an outpost line along the whole divisional front and observed touch with divisions on both flanks. Two hours later, when the battalion was ordered to advance through this outpost line, he led his company most gallantly over the crest of the ridge in the face of heavy enemy machine gun barrage. Charles was wounded on the day by a piece of shrapnel entering at his right temple, severing his right optic nerve and coming to rest against his left. He was rendered completely blind, yet he still managed to get his troops positioned to prevent a counter attack. Charles received a bar to his Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and determined leadership west of Briastre. His commanding officer wrote to his wife saying that he had recommended Charles for the Victoria Cross.
He was treated in the 50th Field Hospital. To remove the shrapnel, an American Surgeon used a Haab Giant Magnet for his first time. Charles was completely blind for around three weeks but then recovered with limited sight to his left eye.
Post First World War
A daughter of Charles said that returning home, her father had suffered from PTSD. She said ‘he lay in a darkened room and never came out, and that he sat in his chair “for ten years”’. At the end of this period, he apparently got out of his chair and disappeared for five days, walking the streets of Brighton. During this five day period, Charles was overwhelmed by the desperation and destitution of wounded ex-servicemen[2]. In September of 1919, Charles went to India with the Somerset Light Infantry, and hid his lack of vision by deceiving the Army Medics; he could quote the eye chart off by heart. He retired from the army in March, 1922 as a Captain.
British Legion
On returning home, Charles joined the British Legion to devote the rest of his life to improving the lives of ex-servicemen. He was particularly interested in helping the sick and disabled, and during an involvement in Preston Hall TB Sanatorium, wrote ‘The treatment of TB at Preston Hall, Kent, has banished the haunting fear of the stricken that they are but a load on the neck of society [...] Treatment and training of the disabled aims to raise the whole psychological outlook of the sufferer so that he may earn his bread without the brand of industrial outcast’. In 1931, Charles was elected Chairman of the British Legion Sussex County branch. He used his position to fight for ex-servicemen to be allowed access to expert advice and legal representation to obtain their war pensions. Charles himself had to fight for his war pension, which was his only source of income after the Great War.[2]
In 1937, Charles was once again elected Chairman of the Sussex County Branch, and held that post until 1946. During this time, he fought multiple pension cases against the [Minister for Pensions and other provisions against the Minister for Labour. He simultaneously worked on Government and British Legion advisory committees despite being severely visually impaired, which made reading the countless documents extremely difficult. He used a monocle and 10x magnifying glass to read, but, having an incredibly sharp memory to the point of quoting page and paragraph numbers, his knowledge of war pensions and disabilities meant he was a sought-after representative by the British Legion in any meetings around these topics.[2]
Due to much of Charles’ work in the British Legion, the Disabled Persons Act of 1944 was passed, and regarded as the Legion’s Act.
WWII
During WWII, Charles was involved once again. At 1.45am on the 14th May 1940, he was called by the staff of the Lord Lieutenant, Duke of Leconfield, to a 9am meeting that day at Petworth, and asked by the Commissioner for the South East Region, Sir Auckland Geddes, to organise the local Defence Volunteers (Home Guard). Charles formed the East Sussex Local Defence Volunteers, the West Sussex LDV was formed by Colonel Pike. Overall there were 26 battalions in Sussex, each consisting of between 1000 and 2500 men. Initially, Charles was the only Captain in the Sussex Home Guard, all the rest had much more exalted ranks of admiral, brigadier and major generals. On the 1st February, 1941, Commissions were introduced for the home guard and Charles was immediately promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and put in charge of many senior officers. During the war, Charles took Sir Winston Churchill to a secret location. Whilst he was looking around, Charles and others disappeared and Churchill found himself alone. A few minutes later, Charles reappeared and showed Churchill an underground bunker. On the 1st January 1944, Charles was awarded the OBE for duties in the Home Guard.
Plane Crash and Death
Charles Madden died in February of 1952, in a plane crash in Sicily. Whilst en route to see his youngest daughter in Kenya, the Huntington Air Transport, Vickers Model 614 Viking 1 in which he flew, crashed into the north slope of the La Cinta Mountain Range[3], killing all 31 occupants on board. It was regarded as the second deadliest aviation accident in Italy's history[4]. After the plane’s disappearance, there was a week of uncertainty, until the Carabinieri struggled up the mountain to confirm the crash.
His memorial took place in All Saints Church, Hove, to which thousands of people attended, including 98 RBL Standards. A plaque within the church pays tribute to his devotion and efforts made towards helping ex-servicemen and women[2].
A quote from the newspaper upon his death read:
The presence of such a vast gathering, which included the representatives of all phases of life in the country, was a tribute to the high esteem in which Col Madden was held, not only by members of the multitudinous organisations with which he had been connected, but by hundreds of ordinary people who knew his legendary kindness and consideration, and his practical assistance in time of need. It is no exaggeration to say that no man locally or nationally has done more for the cause of ex-servicemen or women than Colonel Madden.
References
- ↑ Luscombe, Stephen. "13th Regiment of Foot (1st Somersetshire) (Prince Albert's Regiment of Light Infantry)". www.britishempire.co.uk.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Unsung Heroes | RBL 100 Centenary | Royal British Legion". The Royal British Legion.
- ↑ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Vickers 614 Viking 1 G-AHPI Monte la Cinta". aviation-safety.net.
- ↑ "1952 in aviation". July 3, 2021 – via Wikipedia.
External links
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